Written curriculum/programme

[Spartacus Maximus]

In many martial arts schools, the instructor has some sort of established teaching or training programme. This is a useful guide and a good way to organize training but it can also be a great help for personal training.

How much or how little is useful to write down? Does it work for your personal practise or not?

[Lupin1]

We have our "black belt test guide" which outlines exactly what needs to be learned by the Shodan test. Usually it's given to someone once they reach 3rd kyu so they can start preparing. I've found it very useful.

My instructor also has a few charts of what needs to be learned by each level, but they're flexible. The only thing that's not as flexible is the Shodan test, though even that can be adjusted for individual circumstances.

If I ever start my own program, I'll have a very well planned curriculum (sometimes I write out sample scope and sequence charts just for fun, even though it's a ways off). I've got a teaching degree and, personally, I know I teach more efficiently when it's planned out.

[tallgeese]

We developed an outline of expectations at our Academy. It's not so much a step by step guide, but an overview of how many and what kinds of movements you should be proficient in for each belt rank. That way, each student is free to develop the game that works best for them. That said, at beginning ranks, it is more restrictive to certain moments than later ranks.

Now, as to what we teach in progression, we have a 3 month syllabus that ensures we touch on each major facet of jiu jitsu. So if we go over Open Guard for instance in the first quarter, you'll hit it again in the second, just with different options or specific positions.

On a daily level, I'll outline the night with major training points to keep me on track.

It's been a system that really works well.

[Spartacus Maximus]

How effective is it for personal use? Do you make a schedule for yourself or do you make a random choice only minutes before starting? Personally not into doing too much planning in advance. There are some who feel it is necessary to know and decide exactly what they want to practise on each day. Others prefer to plan only as far as the next day. This seems like a better plan because it is more suited to focused practise or improving one or two specific things. Longer range planning seems to work better for general training or teaching others.

[chiliphil1]

My dojo has listed requirements for each rank. You use those as a guide for training, by knowing what each level adds to your training you know what to work on. As for my personal training I usually just go at random. I think my previous training makes me do that however. If I only knew the things I was learning at the new school then I would practice daily based on the requirements of my next rank but already knowing a bit I try to bring in things from the new as well as the old and have a well rounded program.

[JR 137]

The trend I see my CI follow...

After a group promotes, the focus is more on kihon for a few weeks. Then it slowly transitions to more focus on kata. Then the focus gradually becomes various forms of kumite - "self defenses" (prearranged one step kumite), kihon kumite (prearranged lesser step kumite movements), yakusoku kumite (multi-step prearranged kumite), and jiyu kumite (free sparring). We do the 3 Ks of karate every class, but one will get more attention and duration than the others, depending on where we are in the whole grand scheme of things.

My CI goes to honbu every other last Friday of the month along with any student who'd like to go (there's a special meditation class run by Kaicho Nakamura followed by general class), and many Seido higher ups are there. He always brings back some new drills, combinations, exercises, etc. that we'll focus on for a while. He also attends every black belt promotional test and other event he can. He's there quite often.

Seido has a standardized curriculum that every school follows. My CI refers to it quite often to check if we should move on or continue focusing on what we're currently doing. Not sure if this one's current, having a 2003 date on it. Notably absent is "Seido strategies" which is are sets of tai sabaki drills...

http://www.seidokarate.co.nz/Syllabus.pdf

When tested, we demonstrate everything in the syllabus for the respective rank. Tests don't go in order of what's written, and it's not single techniques; it's far more complex than the syllabus implies.

Edit: I previously linked to the wrong thing!

Edited November 30, 2015 by JR 137

[Spartacus Maximus]

In the beginning, it was useful to make a detailed plan of exactly what to do for each day. It is quite helpful as a self-motivational tool, but when one reaches shodan it makes more sense to concentrate on one or two things to improve for each day of individual training.

[bushido_man96]

We don't really have anything written down, but we do have a set of basics that is always done at the beginning of class, which helps as an organizational tool. It also provides students with a workout set to use when at home, in case they have trouble coming up with something on their own.